Billy Reid sure seems in a relaxed mood.
The Alabama-based designer with a strong Texas presence (he has stores in Houston, Dallas and Austin) unveiled an casual, unstructured spring/summer 2016 collection at New York Men's Fashion Week. Amid a celebrity crowd that included Dallas Mavericks player (and former Houston Rocket) Chandler Parsons, model Karen Elson, Alex Sharp (who won the Tony award for his starring role in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) and Arrow star Colton Haynes, Reid showcase a collection of elegant ease, with lightweight textured fabrics in neutral shades.
Certainly the knee-length shorts, akin to baller shorts that basketball players wear, were something that would appeal to the fashion-forward Parsons. Veering away from close-to-the-body looks from previous seasons, Reid also presented draped jackets, baggy high-waisted pants, quilted vests, polyester trenches that look like silk and jacquard knit sweaters in shiny leaves, shell patterns and fossil shells.
Visors that resemble baseball caps and K-Swiss sneakers completed the look as models strolled the runway while Nashville-based singer-songwriter Rayland Baxter performed the song "Young Man" from his new album Imaginary Man, on acoustic guitar.
Chandler Parsons, from left, Billy Reid and Karen Elson
